


Magic of My Own

by RunWithWolves



Series: 25 Days of Sweetheart [8]
Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: F/F, circle of magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-25
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2019-01-23 05:59:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12500380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RunWithWolves/pseuds/RunWithWolves
Summary: When Carmilla's magic is finally spotted, hidden away at her core, no-one is exactly sure what to do with the 18 year old girl who has magic that no-one can identify. So, they make her roommates with the only other person on the Winding Circle campus who has magic that no-one can identify. Too bad that the last thing Carmilla wants is magic.Magic is the only thing Laura wants but despite 5 years of trying to identify how her magic works, she still can't tap into it. Unfortunately, her new roommate Carmilla seems to have made it her personal mission to literally irritate the magic out of Laura.It just might work.





	Magic of My Own

**Author's Note:**

> a long time ago (so long i bet they thought i forget) a long time reader/commentor told me how much they'd enjoy a circle of magic au. i didn't forget. how could i when tamora pierce is one of my favourite writers and you've been such a sweet commenter. <3 So enjoy some magic!

Carmilla folded her arms and glared up at the kind eyes of the older man sitting in front of her, “I do not have magic.”

“I’m afraid you do, dear. And no amount of denial is going to change that fact.” Dr Kirsch very patiently held her gaze until Carmilla was forced to look away, eyes roaming the office covered in sports paraphernalia as though not looking at the professor could block out his words. “I specialize in the identification of individuals such as yourself. That’s my magic, seeing things others have missed.”

“My mother,” Carmilla spat the term, “Had me tested for magic as a child and the magic-tester said that I didn’t have a whiff of it. Absolutely worthless.”

Dr Kirsch nodded, “Some cases are easy. My son, Wilson, was spotted as a child. He has the standard magic, what we refer to as academic magic. It’s very generalized. Useful for making charms, potions, generic spells, that sort of thing. He studies at the Lightsbridge Academy. A typical case. But others” he paused, “are more difficult.”

Carmilla clenched her fist. Of course she was ‘more difficult’. 

“There is another, less common, form of magic referred to as ambient magic that we specialize in here at the Winding Circle. Magic that is tied to a particular field of study and only works, only arises, when the magic user is interacting with that field. We have ambient mages whose magic works through plants. Others that work through needlework or metal forging. We even have one mage whose magic works exclusively through and on weather. Your magic, Carmilla,” he leaned forward, “Is of this second type.”

“Yeah?” she quirked her eyebrow, “And what sort of magic is that? Because I’m not fond of plants and the lightning has never really been a fan of me.”

The professor actually leaned back, frowning, “I’m not sure.”

“There’s a shock.”

“It actually is,” Carmilla tried not to flinch as Dr Kirsch peered at her through some sort of crystal. “It’s why you’re so much older than our usual students. There’s something about your magic that’s flickering. As though it’s trying to hide.”

A drop of sweat appeared on the back of Carmilla’s neck, “Maybe you’re just seeing things you wish were there.”

He gave her a look, “You have magic, Carmilla. It needs to be trained and discovered but it’s there. I’ve arranged a place on campus for you.”

“I’m not staying in the dorms,” she said, “I’ll break out of here before I live with a bunch of 10 year olds who just want to gossip and braid my hair.”

He gave her a look, “Of course you don’t. Fortunately, I’ve taken into consideration your special circumstances and arranged for you to be placed at Discipline.”

Discipline. The hairs on her arms rose. “Yeah,” she stood, “No thanks.”

The door started to glow before she could even put a hand on it, magic forcing her to take a step back, “It’s not a punishment. It’s simply a place where we send special case students who aren’t fit for the dormitories. There are already 3 other students and an RA living at the cottage. The name is simply because we hope your magic will acquire the discipline to be used properly.”

“And if I still want to leave?” Carmilla asked through gritted teeth.

The glow on the door disappeared and she stepped towards it.

“I wouldn’t stop you.” Dr Kirsch said, “But that would mean that the amnesty I got you would be revoked and they’d have to reconvene the trial that i swooped you out of.”

She froze. Turned. Sat back down.

Anything was better than that.

He nodded and gave a sympathetic smile, “I do think you’ll like Discipline, Carmilla. Nevermind that running around with unchecked magic is liable to get you killed for being unable to control it but there’s a girl there whose about your age and we have no idea what her magic does either.”

“Oh goodie.”

“I think the two of you might become friends,” He ignored her sarcasm, “Her name is Laura Hollis. She’s your new roommate.”

#

Carmilla Karnstein was the literal worst. Laura glared at her over breakfast, watching as the other girl scowled into her oatmeal. Laura had actually been excited to get a roommate for the first time. She’d been at the Winding Circle for years now and they’d always kept her to her own room while Laf and Perry roomed together. 

At this point, she’d been here so long that anything new was exciting.

She’d been excited. A hundred different ideas and conversations and possibilities swirling in her head until Carmilla had slammed her way into the room, thrown herself onto the bed, and said “hey cutie. Tell you what, we don’t interact and I promise not to murder you in your sleep.”

It had only gotten worse from there. Clothes left everywhere. Their shower drain immediately plugged. Loud music played through ‘broken’ headphones at 2am. 

Plus, she ate all of Laura’s secret stash of cookies and it would take time before she could smuggle more in under the RA Danny’s nose. 

Maybe Carmilla’s magic was just being annoying. 

“Careful with the glaring, cupcake,” it was unfair how sexy Carmilla’s growly morning voice sounded, “I’d hate for your magic to suddenly show up and decide to burn a hole through my head.”

“That’s not even how magic works!” Laura said.

Carmilla shook her head, “Better not risk it.”

“Actually,” Laf leaned across the table to grab the honey and Perry smacked their hand before passing the jar to them, “Our magic only works through stuff. Like mine with science? So feasibly Hollis would need to be doing something and glaring at you to risk it going off.”

“Fetch me your science kit, Laf,” Laura muttered, “we’ll start there and work our way through.”

Perry elbowed her in the side and Laura sighed, gaze returning to her own oatmeal as she stirred the sugar into it.

Carmilla quirked her neck and it popped, “What are you even doing here if you know what your magic is?”

“Lafontaine has some small issues maintaining the structural integrity of their magic,” Perry said.

Laf just grinned, “It keeps blowing up. It’s awesome. But apparently hazardous around large groups of people. We think it’s-”

“Oh wait,” Carmilla cut in, “I just remembered that I don’t care.”

There was an awkward pause. Laura used it to be debate if she could get away with catapulting a hunk of oatmeal into Carmilla’s ridiculously perfect hair.

“Well, my magic is cleaning things.” Perry filled the silence, “None of this blowing up or war magic or anything. Just good, clean magic. Very simple.”

“Perry’s magic gets a little bit frustrated in the cluttered dorm rooms.” Laf interpreted, “Flooded the whole place with disinfectant accidentally. Kept touching everyone’s stuff to clean it.”

Perry shook her head, “That place hadn’t been cleaned in months. They should be thanking me.”

“Definitely don’t step into our room,” Laura shot a glare at Carmilla. 

Carmilla grinned, mouth full of oatmeal.

Laura stuck her tongue out.

“I just need to work on my control,” Perry said, “we all do. That’s why we’ve got more meditation after breakfast. Try to get a little more in touch with the magic.”

Laura nodded but looked back down into her untouched oatmeal, stirring it again and again and again. Three years. Three years she’d been trying.

And nothing.

A hand touched her arm, “It’ll be okay.” Perry said softly, “You’ll figure it out.”

Ambient magic was more than what it appeared to be. Certainly, Perry could clean a room better than anyone, every scrub was magnified ten-fold. But there were other side effects. More things needed cleaning than just the physical.

Laura gave her a small smile, “Emotions got dirty?”

“Just a little speck,” Perry patted her then withdrew, “these things take time.”

For a second, Laura felt better. Like Perry’s hand had been a scrub brush on her thoughts. 

But then. “I don’t know why you even bother,” Carmilla said, “Clearly this whole thing isn’t working out for you. Better off to let the magic stay hidden and go enjoy the world.”

“Go enjoy the world?” Laura stared at her, “And what, just forget all this?”

“I’d forget this in a heartbeat.” Carmilla said, reaching for the milk like her words were nothing, “You’ve been here, what, three years and absolutely nothing has happened for you right? That’s what you all don’t talk about when you tell me that i’m ‘totally going to find my magic soon’? How little miss hollis has tried every known trick in the book and still can’t activate the super special secret magic inside of her.”

Laura took a deep breath. Hands clenched tight. She pulled away from Perry’s hand reaching out to her, “Are you really so callous that you just don’t care if you hurt others? Do you get off on being miserable and alone or something? Because that’s exactly how you’re going to stay.”

Carmilla’s eyes flashed, “I’m not hurting you. I’m telling you the truth that none of these other lackwhits will bother saying. Whatever you’re trying to do here? It’s not working. Have you ever even seen your magic? Made something supernatural happen? No. All you’ve got is the word of some old guy that you’re special and maybe that makes you feel good but you can’t trust anyone who just says that kind of thing without following up on it. And it hasn’t been followed up on. Nothing has happened. You're the same magicless girl that you were when you arrived here.” 

“Well,” Laura shot back, “it’s better than lounging around all day and pretending that you’re oh so resentful for being told that you gifts that could help you change the world for the better.”

Carmilla’s grip tightened on the milk, nearly breaking the brown glass bottle, her eyes fierce, “Do you really think having magic is going to do anything for you? Make your life better. Far as I can tell, magic only ever makes everything worse. So you should just stop this whole charade and leave while you still can. Magic doesn’t make the world better. It makes it worse. It hurts people. It blows up buildings. It let’s you take over the world without anyone standing in your way. Magic isn’t a blessing. It’s a curse and you should be thankful that you don’t have to deal with it.” 

Carmilla shook her head, “You understand nothing. Not about life. Not about magic. And certainly not about what it takes to survive in-” She cut herself off, “You know what. The sooner you give up on this whole magic thing and go home. The better.”

She broke Laura’s gaze, pouring the milk into her oatmeal. As the silence carried, a smug little smile grew on her face. “Don’t hurt yourself cupcake. Your heart is beating really fast. Better meditate again.”

Laura’s hands were clenched. Jaw tight. Her head buzzing with a hundred awful thoughts and words and every fear she’d ever had about herself. 

Then.

They crystallized. 

“No.”

Carmilla’s head came up, “What?”

“No,” Laura repeated. The flurry in her head finally calmed and all she could see was the words, “No. I’m not going to give up. Maybe you’re right and I never figure out my magic. Maybe magic is actually a terrible terrible thing. But even if that’s true. It’s still part of me. It’s mine. It’s me. And anything that’s a part of me deserves to not be given up on. It deserves to be understood and allowed to come out. I’m not going to hide it away because it’s me. No one deserves to have to hide away a piece of themselves. No me. Not Laf. Not Perry. Not anyone.” She looked straight at Carmilla, “Not even you.”

There was silence as Carmilla stared at her. Just stared until Laura’s palms felt sweaty and shaky as Carmilla’s jaw fell slightly and her hand quivered where it still held the milk container. 

There was something buzzing in the air as Laura’s head crowded over again. Full of words that she could have used to break the silence. 

She didn’t. 

Instead, she leaned across the table and pulled the milk from Carmilla’s grasp. She practically had to wrestle it away like it was glued to her palms. 

When Laura poured the milk, it came out bright red.

She shrieked and leapt back, “Is that blood?!?”

Laf leaned over, Perry leaned away, Carmilla blinked.

“Carmilla,” Laura demanded, “Is this blood.”

“It’s. Ah,” Carmilla shook her head, “food colouring and corn syrup. A prank.”

Laura threw her hands in the air and stalked away from her ruined breakfast, “What is even wrong with you!”

She whirled off but still somehow caught the tail of Carmilla’s whisper, “I don’t know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus points if you guess what type of magic laura and carmilla have :)
> 
> THE MOVIE COMES OUT TONIGHT. I will not be seeing it until tomorrow at the theaters (say hi if you're coming to toronto!) so please don't spoil anything for me in comments!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i hope this helps to tide you over until the movie drops in your time zone and thank you for your continued support and for every kudos, comment, and [ tumblr flail ](http://ariabauer.tumblr.com/).
> 
> stay stupendous. aria


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